Finley, who was scheduled to become a free agent, and the team had been in negotiations for some time. By reaching the deal, the Packers avoided having to use the franchise tag to keep Finley.

A league source told the Journal Sentinel that the deal was meant to be a compromise, giving Finley more than he would have received had the Packers franchised him as a tight end ($5 million per year) and less than he would have made as a wide receiver ($9 million).